Currently, even when fabrication of a semiconductor wafer is completed, formation of a packaged integrated circuit (IC) chip can require multiple steps and take place in multiple locations. Because of the potential steps involved and the potential delays that can be experienced, any copper connections that might be exposed to the air must be protected to prevent corrosion. For at least some IC chips while still part of a wafer, probing of the wafer using the copper connections must also be performed while the corrosion prevention methods are in place. The processes currently in use for corrosion prevention and/or probing are costly for interconnect methods that utilize under-bump-metals or plated copper interconnects. Improvements are needed.